BREAKING: Target Test Prep releases Brand New 2026 On Demand GMAT prep course

Redeem
TTP OnDemand GMAT Video Course
Featured Course

Target Test Prep GMAT OnDemand

Scott Woodbury-Stewart’s private virtual classroom — 400 hours of master-class video lessons for the GMAT Focus Edition.

  • 715+ score guarantee — highest in the industry (99th percentile)
  • 52 chapters · 1,500+ lessons · 4,000+ practice questions
  • 400 hours of video · 1,500+ instructor-led HD smartboard lessons
  • 300,000+ students accepted to Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, Booth & Sloan & more
  • 24/7 live support + weekly Zoom office hours with GMAT instructors
  • TTP AI Assist — 24/7 AI-powered virtual tutor for instant help
  • 1,200+ flashcards + AI-powered study assistant & daily calendar
  • OnDemand, LiveTeach & GMAT Bootcamp formats available
  • Also: GRE, SAT Math & Executive Assessment courses
  • MBA Admissions Consulting now available
  • 🏆 2025 EdTech Breakthrough Award: Test Prep Solution Provider of the Year
  • 200,000+ students served
  • 5-day free trial — $0 to start, no auto-billing, cancel anytime
★★★★★ 5.0 (559 reviews)
130-pt guarantee
$0 to start then $127/mo
Start Free 5-Day Trial Read 559 Reviews →

Past perfect V/s past

Expert replies
Post new topic Locked
Previous Topic Next Topic
Junior | Next Rank: 30 Posts
Posts: 21
Joined: Tue Jun 07, 2011 1:43 pm
Thanked: 2 times
by madddie » Wed Jun 29, 2011 3:08 pm
I was going through some basic grammar rules when I stumbled upon these 2 sentences:---

She had visited her friend once in 2005 before she moved in with them in 2007.


She visited her friend once in 2005 before she moved in with them in 2007.

The book says if you use the words "before" and "after" with specific dates you can avoid past perfect....

Is it true.....Is it acceptable in GMAT

--------------------------------------------------
If you like my post, go ahead and press thanks!!
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Source: — Sentence Correction |
User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 199
Joined: Tue May 17, 2011 6:06 amFollowed by: 121 members
Location: Cambridge, MA
Thanked: 192 times
GMAT Score:780

by Ashley@VeritasPrep » Wed Jun 29, 2011 7:25 pm
Yes, I would go with the second sentence there. The sentence is in chronological order (we get the visiting the friend first, then the moving) so there's no need to go into past perfect to situate one event before the other in time. However, there's another grammatical problem with both of these sentences! If the pronoun "them" is intended to refer to "her friend," there's an agreement error, because "them" is plural while "her friend" is singular. (If "them" is not meant to refer to "her friend," then "them" HAS NO referent, which is problematic in itself.)
Ashley Newman-Owens
GMAT Instructor
Veritas Prep

Post helpful? Mosey your cursor on over to that Thank button and click, please! I will bake you an imaginary cake.
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 199
Joined: Tue May 17, 2011 6:06 amFollowed by: 121 members
Location: Cambridge, MA
Thanked: 192 times
GMAT Score:780

by Ashley@VeritasPrep » Wed Jun 29, 2011 7:25 pm
Yes, I would go with the second sentence there. The sentence is in chronological order (we get the visiting the friend first, then the moving) so there's no need to go into past perfect to situate one event before the other in time. However, there's another grammatical problem with both of these sentences! If the pronoun "them" is intended to refer to "her friend," there's an agreement error, because "them" is plural while "her friend" is singular. (If "them" is not meant to refer to "her friend," then "them" HAS NO referent, which is problematic in itself.)
Ashley Newman-Owens
GMAT Instructor
Veritas Prep

Post helpful? Mosey your cursor on over to that Thank button and click, please! I will bake you an imaginary cake.
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Newbie | Next Rank: 10 Posts
Posts: 3
Joined: Fri May 13, 2011 9:03 pm

by sweety14 » Thu Jun 30, 2011 6:19 am
yes if sentences are in chronological order,no need to use past perfect.
Top
Join the discussion
Log in to postLogin with Googleuse password
QUOTE IN REPLY
Post new topic Locked
• Page 1 of 1